Air-guiding cover and fan having the same

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to provide an air-guiding cover, comprising: an inner ring; an outer ring being arranged around the inner ring and defining a windward plane between the outer ring and the inner ring; and a plurality of air-guiding fins being arranged in the inner ring. The air-guiding fins have an inclination with respect to a normal axis of the windward plane, and the inclination increases progressively as the air-guiding fins extend from the inner ring toward the outer ring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to an air-guiding cover and a fan having the air-guiding cover, wherein the fan using the air-guiding cover generates conical cyclone.

2. Description of Related Art

Electric fans have long been widely used in life to improve ventilation and cooling the ambient temperature or alternatively warm the ambient temperature when working with electric heaters. Electric fans are easy to install and applicable to various conditions, and thus have become a “must have” appliance in almost all households.

There are many kinds of electric fans commercially available, including stand fans, ventilation fans and hanging fans. For maximizing its active area or coverage, an electric fan is usually equipped with an oscillating device that allows the fan to rotate from side to side while blowing. However, the height of an electric fan also poses limitation to its active area, so it is also desired to make structural improvement on a fan's air-guiding cover so as to optimize the circulating efficiency of the fan.

FIG. 1 depicts a conventional air-guiding cover that comprises curved air-guiding fins L. The air-guiding fins L guide air passing therethrough to form a spiral cyclone and focus on a particular direction with enhanced intensity. However, the active area of wind such guided is relatively small and the strong eddy caused by the spiral cyclone tends to make people affected feel uncomfortable. Hence, how to improve the existing air-guiding covers in terms of active area has become an issue for the related industry to address.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of this, the objective of the present invention is to provide an air-guiding cover and a fan having the air-guiding cover, wherein the fan using the air-guiding cover generates conical cyclone.

To achieve the goal mentioned above, an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an air-guiding cover, comprising: an inner ring; an outer ring being arranged around the inner ring; and a plurality of air-guiding fins being arranged in the inner ring and outer ring. Defining a windward plane between the outer ring and the inner ring. The air-guiding fins have an inclination with respect to a normal axis of the windward plane, and the inclination increases progressively as the air-guiding fins extend from the inner ring toward the outer ring.

Preferably, the inclination of the air-guiding fins at where the air-guiding fins joint the inner ring is about 0 degree.

Preferably, the inclination of the air-guiding fins at where the air-guiding fins joint the outer ring is about 45 degrees.

Preferably, the air-guiding cover further comprising a fastening ring located between the inner ring and the outer ring and connected to the air-guiding fins, respectively.

Preferably, the outer ring is provided with one or plural clips that are connected to an external structure.

Another embodiment of the present invention is to provide a fan, comprising: a housing comprising an air inlet portion, an air outlet portion, and a guiding space defined between the air inlet portion and the air outlet portion; a rotating device being located in the guiding space and aligned with the air outlet portion, the rotating device comprising a motor fixedly installed in the housing and a blade connected to the motor and driven by the motor to rotate; and an air-guiding cover being provided at the air outlet portion and comprising an inner ring, an outer ring being arranged around the inner ring, a plurality of air-guiding fins being arranged between the outer ring and the inner ring in a whirlpool-like pattern, the outer ring and the inner ring defining a windward plane therebetween, the air-guiding fins having an inclination with respect to a normal axis of the windward plane, and the inclination increasing progressively as the air-guiding fins extend from the inner ring toward the outer ring.

Preferably, the fan comprises a heating device located in the guiding space and serving to heat air flow passing therethrough.

Preferably, the rotating device comprises a heat-insulating tube mounted around the motor.

Preferably, the housing comprises an air entrance located behind the motor.

Preferably, the inclination of the air-guiding fins at where the air-guiding fins joint the inner ring is about 0 degree.

Preferably, the inclination of the air-guiding fins at where the air-guiding fins joint the outer ring is about 45 degrees.

Preferably, the fan further comprising a fastening ring located between the inner ring and the outer ring and connected to the air-guiding fins, respectively.

Preferably, the outer ring is provided with one or plural clips that are connected to the housing.

The present invention has the following beneficial technical effects superior to the prior art:

1. Different from the prior-art air-guiding plate that only helps to form small and focused cylindrical cyclone, the disclosed air-guiding cover helps a fan to generate conical cyclone that covers widely and effectively promotes indoor air circulation.

2. The fan of the present invention is equipped with a heating device and capable of generating widely distributed warm air flow when working with the disclosed air-guiding cover. Thus the fan is a dual-purpose fan that is effective in both cooling and warming.

3. The fan of the present invention uses the heat-insulating tube to protect its motor from overheat caused by the heating device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a conventional air-guiding cover.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an air-guiding cover of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the air-guiding cover of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing illustrating a clip of the disclosed air-guiding cover used for fastening.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fan having the air-guiding cover of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the fan of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a back view of the fan of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing coverage of a fan having the air-guiding cover of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, illustrative embodiments and examples of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that inventive concept may be readily implemented by those skilled in the art. Moreover, the utility model in the drawings for convenience of explanation, the ratio is not necessarily the actual scale, while exaggerating the situation, these drawings and the proportion of non-intended to limit the scope of the utility model.

The detailed configuration of the air-guiding cover of the present invention will be further discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings. As referred first, FIG. 2 is a front view of an air-guiding cover of the present invention and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the air-guiding cover of the present invention.

The present invention provides an air-guiding cover 100, which comprises an inner ring 11, an outer ring 12 being arranged around the inner ring 11, a plurality of air-guiding fins 10 being arranged between the inner ring 11 and the outer ring 12 in a whirlpool-like pattern, and a fastening ring 14 located between the inner ring 11 and the outer ring 12 and connected to the air-guiding fins 10, respectively.

Further referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the outer ring 12 is peripherally provided with one or plural clips 15 for combining with an external structure. The clips 15 allow the disclosed air-guiding cover 100 to be conveniently attached to or detached from a corresponding combining mechanism K. The clip 15 has inclined surface at its front end for guiding the combining mechanism K into a retaining notch where the combining mechanism K is held. In practical use, the clip 15 may be placed in a space with its ceiling and floor fixed. By clockwise rotating the disclosed air-guiding cover 100, the clip 15 clips and holds the combining mechanism K, so as to provide desired fastening (as shown in FIG. 4), and by rotating the disclosed air-guiding cover 100 anticlockwise, the disclosed air-guiding cover 100 is disassembled from the combining mechanism K, so as to achieve convenient assembling and disassembling.

Also referring to FIG. 6, a windward plane 13 is defined between the outer ring 12 and the inner ring 11. The air-guiding fins 10 have an inclination with respect to a normal axis (i.e. the direction in which air flows) of the windward plane 13, and the inclination increases progressively as the air-guiding fins 10 extend from the inner ring 11 toward the outer ring 12, wherein the inclination at where the air-guiding fins 10 joint the inner ring 11 is about 0 degree and at where the air-guiding fins 10 joint the outer ring 12 is about 45 degrees.

Further description of the air-guiding cover and a fan having it is given below with reference to FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, which are a perspective view, a cross-sectional view and a back view of a fan having the air-guiding cover of the present invention, respectively.

The present invention provides an air-guiding cover and a fan 200 having it. The fan 200 comprises a housing 20, a rotating device 30 being contained in the housing 20, the air-guiding cover 100 attached to one side of the housing 20, and a heating device 40 installed inside the housing 20.

The housing 20 comprises an air inlet portion 21, an air outlet portion 22, a guiding space 23 located between the air inlet portion 21 and the air outlet portion 22, and an air entrance 24. The air entrance 24 is located at the back of the rotating device 30 for guiding air into the housing 20, thereby preventing the rotating device 30 from overheat and heat-incurred damage.

The heating device 40 is placed in the guiding space 23 for heating air passing therethrough, so as to generate warm air that is then sent out through the air outlet portion 22. The heating device 40 may be an infrared heater, a far infrared ceramic heating plate, a halogen heater or other devices capable of converting electricity into thermal energy. The present invention provides no limitation thereto.

The rotating device 30 is installed in the guiding space 23 and aligned with the air outlet portion 22. The rotating device 30 comprises a motor 31 fixedly installed in the housing 20, a blade 32 connected to the motor 31 and driven by the motor 31 to rotate, and a heat-insulating tube 33 mounted around the motor 31. The motor 31 may be a DC motor, an AC motor, a synchronous motor or other devices powered to rotate. The present invention provides no limitation thereto. The heat-insulating tube 33 prevents the motor 31 from being affected and damaged by the warm air of the heating device 40. The heat-insulating tube 33 has its rear end connected to the air entrance 24 and has its front end formed as an opening. When the rotating device 30 operates, external air around the housing 20 is drawn into the heat-insulating tube 33 through the air entrance 24 for cooling the motor 31.

The disclosed air-guiding cover 100 is provided at the air outlet portion 22. The disclosed air-guiding cover 100, as described previously, comprises an inner ring 11, an outer ring 12 being arranged around the inner ring 11, a plurality of air-guiding fins 10 being arranged between the inner ring 11 and the outer ring 12 in a whirlpool-like pattern, and a fastening ring 14 located between the inner ring 11 and the outer ring 12 and connected to the air-guiding fins 10, respectively.

The outer ring 12 is peripherally provided with one or plural clips 15 for combining with an external structure. The clips 15 allow the disclosed air-guiding cover 100 to be conveniently attached to or detached from the air outlet portion 22.

A windward plane 13 is defined between the outer ring 12 and the inner ring 11. The air-guiding fins 10 have an inclination with respect to a normal axis of the windward plane 13, and the inclination increases progressively as the air-guiding fins 10 extend from the inner ring 11 toward the outer ring 12, wherein the inclination at where the air-guiding fins 10 joint the inner ring 11 is about 0 degree and at where the air-guiding fins 10 joint the outer ring 12 is about 45 degrees.

Please also refer to FIG. 8, which is a graph showing coverage of a fan having the air-guiding cover of the present invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the motor 31 drives the blade 32 to rotate, so that air at the air inlet portion 21 is drawn into the guiding space 23. The blade 32 then deliver the air to the disclosed air-guiding cover 100 at the air outlet portion 22, so as to make the air spread outward and form conical cyclone.

Through experiments, it is found that the conventional air-guiding cover has its cyclone limited to the size of its outer ring because the air-guiding fins L remain perpendicular to the normal axis of its windward plane without any outward inclination.

Differently, the air-guiding fins 10 of the present invention have the inclination with respect to the normal axis of the windward plane progressively increasing from the inner ring to the outer ring. Since the inclination at where the air-guiding fins 10 joint the inner ring 11 is about 0 degree, the generated conical cyclone also preserves the focused swirl as generated by the conventional turbo fan. As the inclination of the air-guiding fins 10 progressively increases up to about 45 degrees at where the air-guiding fins 10 joints the outer ring, the generated cyclone forms a conical shape that spread outward in all directions with an expanding angle of 45 degrees. In the conical cyclone, at a site being one meter from the windward plane, its diameter reaches 1.98 meters, and at two meters from the windward plane, its diameter reaches 3.64 meters. For the cases of 3 and 4 meters, its diameter reaches 5.32 and 7 meters, respectively.

To sum up, the disclosed air-guiding cover 100 utilizes the outward progressively increasing inclination to guide air to form an outward expanding conical cyclone, thereby significantly increasing the active area of the fan. Besides, the fan 200 having the disclosed air-guiding cover 100 when equipped with a heating device can optionally generate warm air flow. This allows the fan 200 to act as both a cooling fan and a warming fan, and makes it a whole-year useful appliance, thereby significantly improving the applicability of the fan.

While example embodiments have been disclosed herein, it should be understood that other variations may be possible. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of example embodiments of the present application, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. 

1. An air-guiding cover, comprising: an inner ring; an outer ring being arranged around the inner ring and defining a windward plane together with the inner ring therebetween; and a plurality of air-guiding fins being arranged in the windward plane in a whirlpool-like pattern, wherein the air-guiding fins have an inclination with respect to a normal axis of the windward plane, and the inclination increases progressively as the air-guiding fins extend from the inner ring toward the outer ring.
 2. The air-guiding cover of claim 1, wherein the inclination of the air-guiding fins at where the air-guiding fins joint the inner ring is about 0 degree.
 3. The air-guiding cover of claim 1, wherein the inclination of the air-guiding fins at where the air-guiding fins joint the outer ring is about 45 degrees.
 4. The air-guiding cover of claim 1, further comprising a fastening ring located between the inner ring and the outer ring and connected to the air-guiding fins, respectively.
 5. The air-guiding cover of claim 1, wherein the outer ring is provided with one or plural clips that are connected to an external structure.
 6. A fan, comprising: a housing comprising an air inlet portion, an air outlet portion, and a guiding space defined between the air inlet portion and the air outlet portion; a rotating device being located in the guiding space and aligned with the air outlet portion, the rotating device comprising a motor fixedly installed in the housing and a blade connected to the motor and driven by the motor to rotate; and an air-guiding cover being provided at the air outlet portion and comprising an inner ring, an outer ring being arranged around the inner ring, a plurality of air-guiding fins being arranged between the outer ring and the inner ring in a whirlpool-like pattern, the outer ring and the inner ring defining a windward plane therebetween, the air-guiding fins having an inclination with respect to a normal axis of the windward plane, and the inclination increasing progressively as the air-guiding fins extend from the inner ring toward the outer ring.
 7. The fan of claim 6, wherein the fan comprises a heating device located in the guiding space and serving to heat air flow passing therethrough.
 8. The fan of claim 6, wherein the rotating device comprises a heat-insulating tube mounted around the motor.
 9. The fan of claim 6, wherein the housing comprises an air entrance located behind the motor.
 10. The fan of claim 6, wherein the inclination of the air-guiding fins at where the air-guiding fins joint the inner ring is about 0 degree.
 11. The fan of claim 6, wherein the inclination of the air-guiding fins at where the air-guiding fins joint the outer ring is about 45 degrees.
 12. The fan of claim 6, further comprising a fastening ring located between the inner ring and the outer ring and connected to the air-guiding fins, respectively.
 13. The fan of claim 6, wherein the outer ring is provided with one or plural clips that are connected to the housing.
 14. The air-guiding cover of claim 2, wherein the inclination of the air-guiding fins at where the air-guiding fins joint the outer ring is about 45 degrees.
 15. The fan of claim 10, wherein the inclination of the air-guiding fins at where the air-guiding fins joint the outer ring is about 45 degrees. 